Clutch is acting up!!!

[HiGhGuY]

Whats up. I've got a problem, wondering if anyone can help? Let me break it down for ya. Got a '91 3kgt/stealth (not sure which one) i'm assuming it was crashed and rebuilt or frankensteined together because all the markings, body panels, etc are 3kgt but the stearing wheel says dodge, and when you look up the VIN it comes up as a stealth (ES i think). Also, it does NOT have any of the SL options, but it DOES have a 3.0 DOHC, and if i'm not mistaken the Base model's have SOHC.

The clutch just started acting up the other day. If i press it too many times or hold it down for too long, it will stay down to the floor but the clutch will still be enganged so i can't shift. Then if i lift the clutch back up with my foot and turn the car off and start driving again a while later it will be back to normal, but will only work for a short ammount of time before it happens again.

My first thought was that the clutch fluid was low, or there was air in the lines (like it wasn't bled properly) but i havn't touched any of that so there should be no reason to bleed the lines. I bought this car with 140k and there is about 160k now, and i've never had any problems like this...it just all of the sudden happend. I have had clutch problems before with other cars, but never anything like this. I went to check the clutch fluid reservoir and could only find one reservoir (which was low) so i added some DOT3 but it didn't help at all. I havn't seen any leaking anywhere (ext. under car or int. on the driver side floor)

The other thing is.... Before i got this car i've always had hondas and hondas have serperate reservoirs for the brake lines and clutch lines, but when i looked under the hood i could only find one reservoir, so i'm just wondering if the brake lines and clutch lines draw fluid from the same reservoir????

Just wondering if anyone can help me out, and ideas? it would be much appreciated. And wondering if it does turn out to be the master/slave cylinder, how much would it cost to fix something like that? I've always done my own work on my cars, but now i have no tools or place to work on it so it looks like i'll have to pay someone to do it.

[Stealth-Up-In-Ya]

More than likely it's your clutch slave cylinder or master cylinder. Slave cylinder is located on top of the trans. case. Look down and to the right of your battery and then its on the back side of the trans case on top. My SOHC was located there and the DOHC should be in the same place. Replace that ($50 on ebay NEW!) and bleed the lines and you should be good to go. Here is step by step info for ya.

Info link:

http://www.penguinhosting.net/~bigma...ecylinder.html

[Stealth-Up-In-Ya]

Where are my manors.....welcome to 3SI.ORG. These guys on here help each other out like no place I have seen. We all do our on work and learn from each other. Also...the BIBLE for me, on our cars, is Stealth 316 Home!!!

Later,

Jarred

[Awake]

With 140K you are due a slave and/or master cylinder.
The slave is easy to replace, and fairly cheap. You pull out the battery and water bottle, and you can see the slave right there. Replace and bleed. Not too hard.

From your symptoms, I suspect the master cylinder, because when the slave goes, it just plain goes, no 'pull it up with your foot and it works for a while.' The master is more forgiving, but you are going to get in the car one of these days and the pedal will go to the floor and stay there and you will be stranded.

The master is a bitch to replace because it is tucked behind the brake booster, and the metal piping is difficult to loosen. It's about 3 hours labor to change it, at whatever your local rate is. The part is about $140.

[HiGhGuY]

Hey, thanks guys for the quick responses. So i found a master cylinder for $111 and slave for $41. Still curious if anyone knows about the Reservoir(s)??

as i mentioned before... on my previous vehicle (honda prelude) and all hondas.. the hydraulic systems for the brakes and for the clutch each have there own seperate reservoir and they're both right on top of the engine bay. When i look under the hood on my 3kgt i see only 1 reservoir. it doesn't specify whether its for the brakes, clutch, or both, just says the usuall.. use only DOT3 brake fluid...blah blah blah.

the master cylinder has what looks likes its own (small) reservoir mounted right on it (see picture below) So i'm wondering if that is the actuall reservoir or just some kind of overflow or something. Have never had to replace one of these so not really sure what i'm looking for here.

[Stealth-Up-In-Ya]

The pic you have there is of the clutch reservoir. It is mounted to the right of the master cylinder in the corner, drivers side corner. Kinda hard to see and get to if you are not familiar with the GT setup. LOL!! They do have their own reservoir. The reservoir for the brake fluid is bigger and has a "screw on" lid(about 2 inches wide).

A simpler way to see is to trace your lines from the slave cylinder back to its reservoir. If the engine and tranny aren't stock, then it may be set up in a different way than stock.

Here is a pic to explain;


Need anything else just PM me or post back.

Later!!!!!!!

[HiGhGuY]

thanks stealth up in ya... exactly what i needed. I'll have to check the level later and see if i can see any leakage.

the way awake described it, i thought it was a little more tucked away, like i'd have to go under the car to see it. But anyways... that reservoir looks small, was looking for something almost the size of the braker fluid res. but i shouldn't need much more than a cheap little socket set to get that thing off *fingers crossed* lol my buddy got a mini 1/2" socket wrench thats only like 5" long...can't remember how many headaches that thing saved me working on hondas.

btw... those ur cars in ur avatar? looks nice. There is a 93 pearl white vr-4 about 1hr away from me for 8k.... i Phukin want it so bad too bad i wasn't working right now.. oh well thanks again.

[Stealth-Up-In-Ya]

Yep the two sitting side by side in my avatar are "The Twins"!! Sold the black one last year and my white one this year and I am working on 1992 R/T that is pictured in my signature! Thanks for the compliment and keep me posted if you need help!!